aster Pennewip will do it."

"I've read a poem by him, Stoffel."

"Yes, yes. And you've read a poem by him. That's because--but how
shall I explain that to you, Juffrouw Laps? You know that in teaching
there are all kinds of things. Take Geography, for example. I will just
mention one fact: Madrid is on the Manganares. Understand, mother?"

"Yes, yes, Stoffel. That's just as if you were to say----"

"Amsterdam on the Y. Exactly so. And then there are many, many more
things, Juffrouw Laps. You have no idea how much there is of it. A
grocer mixes sugar with something else. He must calculate exactly
what he must get for a pound in order not to lose money. Think of
it! And then you have partnership, and breakage, and the verbs--but
I must go before those rascals break everything."

Stoffel returned to school earlier than usual, without having
diminished Juffrouw Laps's difficulties very much. That poor woman
could not comprehend how geography and Madrid and the grocer and
partnerships made it impossible for Stoffel to write verses. Juffrouw
Pieterse smoothed the matter over as well as she could and sent
Juffrouw Laps to Master Pennewip.

That gentleman was alarmed when he saw the angry "sucking animal,"
but he quieted down as soon as he heard the object of her visit.

"To what class does your uncle belong, Juffrouw?"

"Why, to the class--you mean the mussel-shells and eggs?"

"No, no, Juffrouw, I mean on which rung of the ladder is he--how high
up. I repeat it, on what rung--it's a figure, Juffrouw--on what rung
of the social ladder?"

"In the grain business? Is that what you mean?"

"That is not sufficient, Juffrouw Laps. One may be in the grain
business as a pastry cook, a baker, a retailer, a wholesaler, or as a
broker; and all these vocations have their peculiar sub-divisions. Take
Joseph in Egypt, for example. This man of God, whom some place in
the class of patriarchs, while others claim--but let that be as it
may. It is certain that Joseph bought corn and was on the topmost
rung of the ladder, for we read in Genesis, chapter 41----"

"Yes, indeed, he rode in Pharaoh's carriage, and he wore a white silk
coat. My uncle is an agent, and my father was the same."

"So-o-oo? Agent! That's something Moses doesn't mention, and I
don't know in what class----" He spoke slowly, puzzling over his words.

"Besides, my uncle is a widower."

"Ah, there we have the difference! We read that Joseph wooed Asnath,
th